Blue Shark

Prionace glauca

Image | copyrite Marc Dando

Description

Blue shark are sleek, streamlined oceanic predators with a striking blue, almost purple colouration. Blue Shark are rarely offered for sale in Cornwall and it is not recommended that you eat this species.

Sustainability Overview

Blue sharks are long lived and relatively slow growing sharks which travel with oceanic currents over huge distances each year. Although not particularly targetted in cornwall they very vulnerable to fishing and are heavily fished in other parts of their range. Little is known about their stocks but they are listed as near threatened by ICUN.

When is best to eat?

All Applicable Methods

Cornwall

How we rate fish

1

2

3

4

5

Cornwall Good Seafood Guide rates fish on sustainability using a scale of 1 to 5.

1, 2 and 3 are recommended, Fish to avoid are rated 5.

We use the system devised by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) so our scores are comparable with the scores produced by MCS for the UK and fisheries from all around the world. For more information on scoring click here.

Sustainability Overview

Blue sharks are long lived and relatively slow growing sharks which travel with oceanic currents over huge distances each year. Although not particularly targetted in cornwall they very vulnerable to fishing and are heavily fished in other parts of their range. Little is known about their stocks but they are listed as near threatened by ICUN.

Biology

Blue sharks are fast oceanic predators that specialise in feeding on mackerel and other pelagic fish and squid, although there is evidence they are opportunistic and do occasionally feed nearer the seabed on demersal species and occasionally eat sea birds. Blue sharks are long lived and females will give birth to up to 135 pups in a litter after a 9- 12 month gestation period.

Stock Info

This is a poorly studied species although there are huge amounts of blue shark caught across their range. Estimated by ICUN as 20 million sharks per year are caught in the Atlantic.

Management

There is no limit on catches of blue shark in our waters and there is no minimum landing size. It is fortunate that this species is not being actively targetted by commercial fishermen.

Capture Info

Blue Sharks are occasionally caught by Cornish fishermen using baited hooks attached to the end bouys of gill nets. They are also caught by rod and line although the majority of shark anglers will catch and release this species.